Tadaima
by Sweet Disposition x
Summary: Sasuke didn't know he had been counting on her unwavering love until he realized there was a chance it was gone for good. [Pre-700 Sasusaku]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Pre-700? This is the first piece of fanfiction I've ever written, so please bear with any inconsistencies.

* * *

Deep down inside, Uchiha Sasuke knew he felt something for Haruno Sakura, starting from back when Team 7 was newly formed. It wasn't love. It wasn't even like. But it was _something_. Somewhere along the line, she had become important to him.

" _Naruto, you have to save her, no matter what … I don't ever want to watch my precious people die before my eyes again."_

True, for the better half of his life she had been an obnoxious follower, chasing after a boy she claimed to love but didn't even know. After they became teammates, though, her devotion became … endearing, perhaps, or at least comforting. She was one of the few people who insisted on staying by his side no matter how many times she was rebuffed, refused—the other being the dobe himself, of course. Just as Naruto had pushed and shoved his way into Sasuke's life, Sakura also took root and grew in his heart until he could hardly imagine a time without them—his entire clan gone, but those two in place of the family he lost.

But long ago, he'd slashed through whatever special place they'd carved out. It was necessary, of course, because Uchiha Sasuke was an avenger, and they were dangerous to his mission. Naruto's constant sunny smile and Sakura's never-ending sweetness allowed him to enjoy himself in a way he hadn't since the night of the massacre. They made him want to forget all about revenge and have fun instead when his true goal should have been Itachi's head on a platter.

Of course, even if he had known Itachi's secret, he should not have been cavorting around on missions for the village that had betrayed his beloved nii-san. It was unacceptable by any means. So he did what true avengers had to and cut the bonds.

" _From here on out, we all begin new paths."_

Leaving Sakura alone on that cold stone bench was easier than he thought it would be—Sasuke compartmentalized everything good from his genin life, shoved it into a box, and crushed it like it was nothing. Still, knowing her tears were all his fault made him sick to his stomach. He didn't have it in his heart to apologize, so he did the only thing he could—offered his sincere gratitude—and hoped she understood the underlying meaning.

Four years and a war later, when the apology finally came, he never imagined he wouldn't be welcomed back with open arms.


	2. Chapter 2

When Sasuke was taken to the hospital to recover from his battle with Naruto, only Tsunade, Shizune, and Sakura were allowed to treat him—they could not guarantee that any other medical staff would not attempt an assassination on the Konoha traitor. _Ironic_ , he thought wryly, given his own attempt to take the Godaime's life.

Sakura was mostly in charge of his treatment. He knew she was a world-class medic-nin long before he officially returned to Konoha. After all, he had been keeping tabs on Team 7 ever since he left.

" _You're a medic-nin now, aren't you? … If you really want to come with me, then kill her."_

She was far calmer than he remembered her in the past—but then again, she was no longer 12 years old and obsessed with nothing but dating him. When she dressed his wounds, she took care not to intrude upon his personal space any more than necessary, but Sasuke felt himself enjoying her cool hands on bare skin, her gentle healing chakra so much more welcoming than the ice-cold touch of Kabuto, who would just as soon tear him new wounds as fix them.

When he reached out to her the first time, she had been in the process of turning around to get some new gauze, and she flinched away from his hand. Sasuke's stomach turned. The only other time he had ever seen her do that was in this very hospital, when a furious little boy had knocked a plate of sliced apples out of a thoughtful little girl's hands.

Composing herself, Sakura faced him, and any sign of fear was gone.

"Sasuke-kun?" she asked.

"I just … I have a bit of a headache," he grumbled, angry with himself for startling her. She was afraid of him, wasn't she? She probably thought about his hands gripping her throat, trying to snuff out her gentle, caring heart in his unstoppable need for vengeance every time she looked into his eyes. She probably still heard the chirp of a chidori whenever he was around.

To her credit, he knew she tried not to show it. She was as gentle as ever, and affectionate to boot, calling him "Sasuke-kun" and filling his windowsill with daffodils whenever possible. But it didn't take the Sharingan to see that unlike Naruto's, her smiles didn't quite reach her eyes.

She did another one of her not-quite-smiles at him.

"It's likely that you didn't get enough rest last night thanks to Naruto and Sai's antics." There—a fleeting _real_ smile at the memories of her other teammates' shenanigans and petty arguments—but it wasn't directed at him; it was never directed at him. "Unfortunately, we can't up your painkillers more, so let me know if it doesn't go away on its own and I'll see what I can do then. If only Naruto had sustained more injuries so he could be tortured here longer with you, eh?"

Her joking voice sounded strangled. She finished wrapping his ribs and walked out, leaving Sasuke alone with his thoughts.

 _The old Sakura probably have set up camp in this room. She never would have left._

Sasuke didn't know he had been counting on her unwavering love until he realized there was a chance it was gone for good.


	3. Chapter 3

"Sasuke, teme!" Naruto called, bursting into the hospital room and nearly crashed into Sasuke's bed. He stopped himself short when he saw the glare from the Uchiha's caretaker.

"Hey, sorry, Sakura-chan," he said, quickly backtracking. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I just wanted to see if Sasuke is ready to spar yet. I've been working on this great new jutsu, and …"

He was cut off when Sai, who had been running after him, slammed into him from behind, toppling them over and onto Sasuke's bed. The Uchiha let out a loud groan.

"What the fuck?" Sakura shouted. "Can't you two be considerate for once? Sasuke is recovering in here! If your carelessness jostled any of his ribs I'm going to give it back to you tenfold!"

Sai ignored her entirely. "Give it back, dickless!" The annoyance on his face was evident, a sure sign that the emotionless (barely) human of the past was all but gone. He was still learning about social norms, but his reactions became more natural with each passing day, and his bonds with his fellow shinobi were as strong as ever.

Sasuke, propping himself up on his elbows, unfolded a watercolor painting Naruto had slipped him during the commotion. "What fresh hell is this?" he asked. The painting, while tastefully done, showcased two nude figures in rather compromising positions.

"It's a case study," Sai said, "and it's mine. Give that back."

"Ehhh? I'm not going to just hand over solid proof that you're a damn pervert! You've been going on and on about my—" Naruto gestured to his crotch region— " _genitalia_ ever since we met. I knew you had some kind of weird fixation. You're worse than Kaka-sensei. Worse than Ero-sennin!"

"I don't see how studying anatomy makes me a pervert. The reproductive system is a legitimate function of the body. It keeps the population going. Just ask Sakura—I bet she looks at this kind of thing all the time. You know, for medical training purposes."

"Don't drag me into this," Sakura threatened.

"What's this new jutsu of yours?" Sasuke asked, abruptly changing the subject.

Naruto paled. "New jutsu?"

"The one you were wanting to show off in a spar?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously again. "Well, I haven't really fully developed it yet … and it doesn't have a name or anything, so…"

Sai scoffed. "He was just looking for an excuse to run in here and slip Sasuke the painting for safekeeping. He knew the traitor is the only one I am likely to avoid, on account of him being in the hospital and because it's 'bad for his recovery' because his blood pressure goes up whenever I am around."

Naruto shrugged. Well, it was true.

"OUT!" Sakura shouted, holding up a fist at the two boys. "Don't think I'm going to heal anyone's injuries that I've inflicted if you don't leave within the next thirty seconds." Glancing at each other, Naruto and Sai shuffled away, elbowing each other all the way out. When their footsteps had receded, Sakura aimed a placating smile at Sasuke.

"Sorry about the idiots," she said. It was hard for her to stay angry with them too long, though, not when they provided some humor and lightheartedness that Konoha desperately needed after the devastating war. The future Hokage wasn't very dignified, and that was probably best for the village. Her smile fell, though, when she saw Sasuke's troubled expression.

"Sasuke-kun? Is something wrong? How's the headache?"

"Hn," he replied.

Sakura bit her lip, wanting to question him further but knowing he'd talk more if you gave him a bit of silence.

"Has Sai always called me 'traitor'?" Sasuke asked finally.

"Ah, no," Sakura said lightly, carefully, "well, perhaps. But I wouldn't think anything of it. After all, he always calls me Ugly, right?"

There was that fake cheery smile again.

"Sakura."

Her smile faltered.

"I'm going to bring you lunch, Sasuke-kun, and then you should sleep some more. Depending on how well you let your body rest and recover, you could be out of here within the next week."

 _Do you still think I'm a traitor?_ he didn't ask. He didn't need to. Her careful distance said everything.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Special shoutout to my first three reviewers, RadicalEdward6, 96bittersweetblackcat, and butterfly9070! Thank you so much. I really appreciate feedback, and I hope you enjoy.

* * *

The next days in the hospital were unbearable for Sasuke. Sakura grew more and more distant as he recovered, and he began to fear that as soon as he was fully well, she would attempt to disappear from his life completely. He couldn't blame her, obviously. He had tried to kill her in cold blood— _I mean, that's just not the kind of shit you come back from all normal and buddy-buddy_. But he couldn't help but feel upset that the girl who was once so eager to follow him to the ends of the earth just to be near him now wanted out, out, out of his life.

Naruto, he figured, would always be there, but most of the time he simply preferred the company of the kind medic-nin to his boisterous best friend. He and Naruto bickered and fought, but around Sakura he could just be comfortable, whether in silence or just listening to her chatter.

Sakura's words that night— _that_ night—came back to him.

" _I have friends and family, but if you leave, it'll be the same as being alone!"_

* * *

Sakura was racked with guilt about her shaky relationship with Sasuke. Naruto accepted him back immediately as expected, every last transgression forgotten. As far as she could tell, so had Kakashi. But Sakura didn't quite have it in her heart to do the same.

She was still stupid about Sasuke, that much she knew. Of course, she could give a laundry list of reasons why she should give up on him in favor of someone else—someone who had always been there to support her, and who had never, you know, tried to _murder_ her. Someone like, well, Naruto. But hadn't she done exactly that in the Land of Iron? Lists were all wrong. Logical thinking was all wrong. When it came to matters of the heart, reasoning was no match for Sakura. Her schoolgirl crush from her genin days had blossomed into something deeper than she could even fathom.

But it was for exactly that reason that she distanced herself from Sasuke. Despite wanting to understand him, she couldn't get the sound of his maniacal laughter out of her head.

" _I want to kill you so badly I can taste it, Kakashi."_

Sakura knew better than to hope. An avenger was an avenger, through and through. Whatever she had once wanted between them was bound to end in heartbreak, and she had too much self-respect to put herself through that anymore.

* * *

"Your ribs are healed up nicely, and you've already been told about how long it may take to adjust to your new arm. Well, lack of arm." One side of Sakura's mouth turned up as she suppressed a chuckle at her own bad joke.

"Aa," Sasuke replied. He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the hospital bed that creaked under his muscular frame, but didn't make any other move.

"So, ah, you're free to go," the pink-haired kunoichi said awkwardly. "Well, I still have to finish up some paperwork, but you can head back—" She stopped herself. "H-home. To where you're staying now, I suppose. I think Tsunade got you an apartment on the same floor as Naruto, but you'd know better than me."

"Aa."

"Remember to take it easy, though. Light training only, and be cautious rather than sorry. Besides, your chakra use is still closed off."

"Hn." As if he needed a reminder about that. Naruto protested heavily, but in the end the council had still decided to put Sasuke on probation a short while, without the use of his chakra, so he could be monitored for any signs of violent breakdown. Not that he couldn't destroy plenty with taijutsu alone.

Sakura stood there for a while longer, wringing her hands, and he realized she was waiting for him to leave so she could tidy up and change the sheets.

"Sakura," he said against his better judgment, but was rewarded when her cheeks flushed pink. "Would you go on a walk with me?" Seeing her surprised look, he admitted, "I don't want to go … back just yet."

"Of course, Sasuke-kun," she replied, her eyebrows knitted together in worry. "If you'd like, I can show you around the hospital, but only for a little bit."

"Aa." _I'd like that very much._


	5. Chapter 5

In the center of the Konoha hospital was a nice courtyard that, in the spring and summer, was filled with lovely flora and fauna. In the crisp fall air, though, most signs of life were gone. The only sounds were the dead leaves crunching under shinobi sandals.

Sakura couldn't deny the strangeness of the situation. She'd spent the better part of her life trying to get her precious Sasuke-kun to take walks with her so he could realize how much he loved her and wanted to make her his girlfriend. Now Sasuke was the one asking for a walk, and she was the one who didn't know how to respond.

It was definitely too early to say for sure, but she thought she felt his eyes on her more than usual. One dark and one ringed violet, watching her as she dressed wounds or set bones or delivered unsatisfying hospital food. Now, she could tell he was sneaking glances at her on their walk, which made her blush, because every time she glanced back at him, he would flick his eyes away quickly, pretending to be focused on something else.

Still, a few looks here and there did not outweigh a lifetime of being called annoying. A lifetime of being rejected and left behind. She definitely would never again make the mistake of thinking she had any chance at a future with Sasuke.

Friends, though? Perhaps. She had to admit it would do everyone some good to see Team 7 truly back together.

Breaking the silence, she said, "It's not as chilly as it should be for this time of year, eh, Sasuke-kun?"

* * *

The last Uchiha often thought about leaving Konoha to see the rest of the shinobi world for himself, but in all his weakness and foolishness, could not bring himself to do so. At 13, Sakura begged him to stay. At 17, he suspected she would let him go without a word, and that was infinitely worse.

He stole glances at her as they walked through the courtyard, careful not to stray too close. Former Sakura would probably be all over him, bugging him for dates, for attention, for kisses. Now their relationship was quietly uncomfortable on both ends. He stupidly found himself wondering what it would feel like to be on the receiving end of a kiss from those full pink lips, usually bubbling over with laughter or chatter, now pursed together in what looked like anxiety. _Oh, how the tables have turned_.

Sakura's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Eh, Sasuke-kun?"

He had no idea what she asked.

"Aa," he replied, cursing himself for missing the question. She didn't repeat herself, so maybe that was the right answer.

Sasuke's good hand brushed her knuckles, just a fleeting touch, as though his hand was acting of its own accord. Sakura's green eyes widened for a moment, but she let out a quiet laugh before knocking his hand with her own.

"You've sure gotten talkative," she teased, and he smirked.

The tension was gone from her face now, he was gratified to see, and she began to tell him a story about how she was the one who had singlehandedly planted all the shrubs and flowers in the courtyard, because Tsunade-shishou was busy, Ino (who'd provided the plants in the first place) made up some bullshit excuse about training—which Sakura _knew_ was bullshit because all she ever did nowadays was pester Sai about his drawings—and Naruto was getting revenge on her for sticking him with a hefty Ichiraku bill by withholding the assistance of his kage bunshin, or "manual labor bitches," as she dubbed them.

Sasuke listened to her babble on, feeling content. Sakura wouldn't be so rambly if she really meant to hold him at arm's length forever. It wasn't much, but it was enough for now.

"I really have to get back to work," she said when she was done. The first week after the war was the worst, but even with the immediately life-threatening injuries mostly out of the way, the hospital was still crowded. "I'll bring you dinner later to celebrate your recovery, okay? My treat, no ramen."

Sakura laughed again, a lilting thing that Sasuke had the sudden urge to bottle up so he could listen to it forever.

"Hn. Don't let the moron tag along. Or the even bigger moron. Or the pornographic moron," he grumbled.

The medic-nin had no clue which was which, as _pornographic moron_ seemed to describe all three members of the rest of Team 7 at this point. "You know I couldn't lose them even if I tried," she said with a smirk.


	6. Chapter 6

Weeks passed without incident—or, at least, as little incident as possible when the Number One Hyperactive Knucklehead Ninja was your best friend. True to his strict clan upbringing, Uchiha Sasuke's apartment was impeccable, counters sparkling, bedsheets tucked tightly like the ones in hotels, not a thing out of place. Until that damn Naruto came and messed everything up. He never failed to leave cup ramen over every surface imaginable, sometimes dripping onto the carpets. Sometimes Sasuke found himself wishing the jinchuuriki would be sent out on some long mission far away, just so he could get some goddamn peace and quiet, but he always felt guilty for harboring such wishes. Naruto was only Naruto because of his constant presence trying to lighten your heart, whether you wanted it or not.

 _No fucking respect,_ he thought, stepping over a pair of dirty socks that he knew didn't belong to him. _Is this how he treats Sakura's apartment?_ Somehow Sasuke didn't think the kunoichi with the capricious temper put up with that shit.

" _Yare, yare,"_ he imagined Naruto whining. _"Sakura-chan, it's only a little stain. It'll come right out."_

" _Your brains are going to come right out your goddamn ears, you little imp."_

And then she'd twist his ear, he'd yelp, and Sasuke would smirk at the scene, just like old times.

 _Old times_ were getting easier to replicate, now. He had been allowed to accompany the new-but-still-familiar Team 7 on a D-rank mission just once three days ago, and while he was sure Naruto and Sai preferred something more exciting (and with better pay), and Sakura was needed in the hospital, for once, no one complained. Having to rake gardens in the biting cold—first frost coming earlier than usual—was as good an excuse as any to spend time together.

And in the evenings, after her shifts, Sakura usually came over for a stroll. At first it started out innocently enough, with her bringing "homemade" food ( _it came from a restaurant, but fuck if Sasuke was going to let on that he knew_ ) to his apartment, and him inviting her out casually. As they settled into a routine and he began to expect a knock at his door half an hour after dinner each night, though, it seemed like something … more.

Or at least he hoped it was.

* * *

Sakura felt her suspicions were confirmed. Uchiha Sasuke had gotten all touchy-feelsy lately for someone who usually valued his "personal space bubble" so much. It started innocently, just little strolls around town after the sun set, but the first time she'd seen a dango stall and casually mentioned that she could go for some of the sweet dumplings, he'd paid the owner for two and given her both.

"I don't like sweets," he'd said with a shrug, trying to act normal.

 _You've got to be kidding me._

She tried to brush it off as him feeling guilty for, you know, several years of abandonment and hopelessness, but the instances added up. Bumping her side "accidentally." Brushing the backs of his hand against hers and then _holding it there_ for _way too long_.

Then there was that time he'd swiped his thumb across the diamond mark on her forehead and asked her to tell him all about the special healing technique, as though he didn't already know.

It was pretty cute, in a way, _the_ Uchiha Sasuke being reduced to childish flirting techniques—probably ones she'd used on him a lifetime ago. The attention was flattering, even. She didn't even know if he knew what exactly he was doing. When Sai picked up on it, though, she knew she had to put a stop to it before even Naruto found out what was going on. She'd never hear the end of it if Naruto thought _Sasuke_ had a crush on _Sakura_ and _Sakura_ was denying _Sasuke_ even though theirs was _true love_ and _meant to be_.

* * *

"Sakura, did you know that Sasuke compulsively touches you?" Sai asked, his face impassive, as though he hadn't just touched upon the problem-that-must-not-be-named.

"What do you mean, Sai?" she said slowly.

"You don't mind when Naruto touches you, which he does with impunity. For example, between the two of you there are always greeting hugs, and goodbye hugs, and his good arm is always around your shoulder when we're walking. But…" Sai paused, his face now scrunched up in thought, and Sakura had to smile at the expression, which looked real enough to pass. When he started speaking again, his voice was slower and more hesitant, like he was choosing his words carefully. "When Sasuke touches you, it's usually for a brief period, and often you pull away. But sometimes you don't. Sometimes you even reciprocate by placing your hand on his shoulder. I am not sure what that means. I have already taken into consideration the fact that you are in love with him, but doesn't romantic love often consist of many different types of touches?"

Sakura blushed.

"I am just saying that you seem uncomfortable with this new development. I think neither you nor the Uchiha idiot know how to deal with your feelings."

"Thank you for trusting me with your thoughts, Sai, but there's nothing going on between us. I'll have to speak to Sasuke about this."

Sai nodded and leapt away. Sakura had the sneaking suspicion he was headed to the flower shop, but she had too much on her plate now to grill Ino about it. At least one of them still had a shot at a happy ending.

* * *

It was several hours past dark when Sakura knocked on his door for their usual stroll, having needed time to prepare herself for what would surely be a tough conversation. When Sasuke answered the door, his face lit up in a fleeting ghost of a smile, gone as quickly as it came, and if she hadn't been watching carefully she would've sworn it was a figment of her imagination. Her chest clinched at the expression, both with longing and guilt.

"You're late," he said, his features now hardened into a typical scowl.

"If you keep frowning like that, your face is going to get stuck that way. Well, I think it already did," she teased.

He wrapped a thick woolen scarf around his neck and stepped outside, closing the door behind them. Sakura felt her heart rate rise. _God, he's just so goddamn_ cute _like that, all bundled up._ She forced herself to take a few deep breaths, resisting that stupid voice in her head that was urging her to just wrap her arms around him and never let go. But Inner Sakura didn't know a damn thing. Inner Sakura didn't have any of the resolve it took to keep herself safe from a boy who was always trying to leave. Sasuke might have a crush on her now, acting all charming and childlike, but he was still an Uchiha, and Uchihas left. Left the village, left their loved ones bloody and bruised and trying so hard to reach out to their long-gone hearts.

He was shrouded in darkness, and she knew she'd never be enough to light the way.

They walked together in silence for quite some time. "Sasuke-kun, we have to talk," Sakura said finally, stopping on an empty street with residential areas on one side and forested land on the other.

"Hn?"

"About us." She turned to face him. "Whatever _this_ is, whatever's been going on, it can't—"

That's when she made the mistake of looking up into his eyes, one still hauntingly violet as a reminder of the hatred of the past. She quailed before his soft expression, and in that moment, the pink-haired kunoichi knew Sasuke desperately needed forgiveness, sought acceptance from the last teammate who hadn't given it freely. If she refused him now, the bonds she'd been so careful not to disturb might not be repaired ever. But where did that leave her?

When Sasuke tilted his head down to capture her lips with his, just for a moment, her heart skipped a beat, all presence of mind forgotten. She reached up to sink her hands into his spiky hair, letting the kiss linger a little longer, before her brain finally came back to her body.

Sakura stumbled back, face burning.

 _Fuck!_

"Sasuke-kun, I can't," she said quickly, watching his expression change from content to confused. "This can't happen."

And before she could say another word and ruin things more, she jumped up, landing on a large tree branch to her right before disappearing from view, leaving a perplexed—and slightly hurt—Uchiha standing there, breathing hard.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** In this fic, Sakura never confessed to Sasuke a second time in the Kaguya arc, mostly because Sasuke needs to feel unsure about how to proceed with his newfound feelings. (And because he's a little shit and should feel bad about everything he put her through.) This chapter is written under the interesting principle known as the "Ben Franklin effect": You'll see someone more favorably if you do a favor for them rather than if they do a favor for you. So, for example, next time you want to get a boss or a classmate to like you more, don't simply lend them a pen when they need it—ask them for something small that you need.

P.S. Thanks for the support, everyone! I cherish every review, and I always welcome helpful feedback.

* * *

Sakura was avoiding him. She'd stopped coming around to his apartment after dinner for their nightly strolls, and according to Naruto, she'd stopped visiting him as well. As far as Sasuke could tell, she started her day at the hospital and went home straight afterward, no pit stops, no visits.

" _You said something bad to Sakura-chan, didn't you, you big jerk," Naruto had accused him. "She only acts like this when it's about you."_

" _I don't think so."_

" _Well you'd better figure it out and fix it, because I'm getting sick of eating ramen alone!"_

" _Hn."_

Sasuke didn't get it. After all, she'd kissed him back—enthusiastically. He could still feel her cool hands in his hair, tugging him closer, closer—

And then, just as quickly as it started, it was over.

" _This can't happen," she'd said._

He honestly didn't know what had gotten into him. The signs were all there. Sakura might humor him by taking him on walks and spending time with him, but she _obviously_ wanted nothing more. She probably hadn't even fully forgiven him yet, and how the hell could he try to be anything more than teammates when she probably still thought he was planning the destruction of Konoha? The last Uchiha didn't even know how to characterize his feelings for her. There was clearly something there, even something _romantic_ , but after such a long time trying to tamp down his connections to his friends, he wasn't quite sure what emotions were supposed to feel like anymore, let alone how to handle them.

But Sasuke could still feel her lips burning on his, and when he thought about how many years she'd waited for him to come home and how hard she must've trained in hopes of forcibly dragging him back, a place in his chest physically ached. Somewhere along the way, he must have made her wait one day too long, rejected her one time too many. And, in the end, for what? He hadn't gotten revenge on his _(martyred, non-traitorous)_ brother, nor had he found the answer to peace and war in the shinobi world like he'd thought. He'd given up everything for his goal, including the girl who claimed she would do anything just to be with him. He couldn't exactly blame her for changing her mind.

" _Even if you are successful in your revenge, all you'll be left with is emptiness."_

He also didn't know whether there was any possible way to win her trust back.

* * *

"Wake up, Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted, hopping onto the medic-nin's bed and jumping in place. "Come on! Baa-chan assigned us a B-rank, finally! Sasuke's back on active duty!"

"Get out, Naruto," she grumbled, still half-asleep.

"Sakura-chan, please, we'll be late! She said she wanted to see us immediately. The team's back together, and for a real mission this time!"

Sai, listening in from the fire escape stairs outside, used the open window to drop into her bedroom. "Dickless is correct; we need to leave within the next five minutes or Tsunade-sama will be highly irked. She might even revoke the mission, depending on her mood."

Sakura lobbed a pillow at Sai and a punch at the blonde jinchuuriki, who was closer. Both missed.

"I'm up, I'm up! Now both of you perverts had better get out of my room so I can get dressed." Dutifully, they left, only to come back two minutes later to find her sleeping again. This time, Sai dumped a full canteen on her face and was rewarded with a bloody lip, but at least she was up for real.

They headed to the Hokage tower to find Sasuke already there, looking displeased. "What took you so long, dobe?" he asked, pointedly not looking at Sakura, whose hair was completely unbrushed, clothes ruffled. She self-consciously tried to smooth her short pink hair down with her hands to no avail.

"Sleepy-head was trying to get her beauty sleep," Naruto replied, letting out a loud laugh. "But you should've seen how fast she reacted when she thought I was trying to peek at her changi—"

Sakura blushed furiously and clamped her hand down over the blonde's mouth. Luckily, Tsunade walked in at that moment, raising her eyebrows at the scene, before handing them a mission scroll.

"Nothing interesting," she warned. "Just bandits on our border with Rain Country. They're taking advantage of all the upheaval after the war. I thought we'd sufficiently stopped most of them, but they just keep coming. This particular group has been reported as attacking civilian villages and appears to have some shinobi training, although they don't seem to be affiliated with any hidden village. Everything else is in the mission scroll." Tsunade smiled, and it was the first time Sakura had seen the expression—softer, with no worry lines—in a long time. "Congratulations on your first B-rank, Team 7. And welcome back, Sasuke."

Before Naruto could whoop and holler in celebration, Sakura took the proffered scroll and bowed. "Thank you, shishou. We'll be back in no time."

* * *

Before they even reached the border, they were ambushed thrice. Naruto's kage bunshin had taken out all the bandits in quick order. None were dead, but a rasengan to the face was nothing to scoff at. Sakura couldn't even tell why a four-man cell had been sent to deal with these foes. They seemed shinobi-trained, sure, but every single one was genin-level at best. Even if the real point of all these missions was teamwork, it was hard to do anything in a team when Naruto alone could take out scores of the enemy and never even notice any drain in chakra.

The situation came to a head when someone sent out a Katon: Ryuuka no Jutsu, and Sakura had to roll to dodge the huge oncoming flame. She barely missed it as it sailed past. Cursing herself for letting her guard down, she checked around for the rest of her team. Naruto and Sai—doing fine, both protected by some kind of ink crane. But Sakura didn't have time to look for Sasuke before a strong blast of wind came, fanning the dragon flame so it expanded out, enveloping all the trees in its path. It was quickly followed by spheres of mud falling from the sky, with tails of fire so that they looked like comets hailing down upon the unsuspecting shinobi.

 _I never should have underestimated the opponent._

Sasuke appeared to have done the same and hadn't even activated his Sharingan while he was dispersing the mini-comets with a katon of his own. One of the bandits threw a flurry of poisoned senbon, which Sakura immediately identified as fast-acting and lethal, at him from behind. Sasuke was seemingly unaware of the danger, and time seemed to slow to a crawl as Sakura hurled her body through the air behind him, each sharp metal tool almost noiseless as they embedded themselves in her body.

Immediately beginning work healing herself, she backed out of the battle and yanked the senbon out as the pinpoint wounds closed behind them, her green medical chakra knitting the skin back together. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Naruto and Sai making short work of the criminals. She could only presume these higher-level ones had been sent out as a last resort after the minions came back defeated.

"What the fuck, Sakura!" A voice to her right. Male. Pretty angry. "What were you thinking? I can handle a bunch of bandits on my own."

"Sasuke-kun," she said, turning to him. "You would've gotten hurt. You weren't even making a move to dodge those senbon."

"They wouldn't have stopped me like they've stopped you! I can't believe you've done this, jeopardizing the mission, _your health_ —"

Sakura's hands clenched into fists, and she took a step toward Sasuke, spittle flying in his face as she yelled at him, furious at the implications of his words. She suddenly felt like she was once again 12 years old and he was calling her weak, like she was a burden to the team when she knew she was anything but. That's what she had worked so hard for, but he had that stupid, uncanny knack of making her feel insecure in her own identity.

"They were poisoned, dumbass! I've built up a tolerance to that kind, unlike you. You would've died within a hundred breaths, and I don't even have a fucking antidote with me. Look who's jeopardizing the mission! I just saved your fucking life, you shithead!" She punctuated the last curse with a hard jab to his chest.

Sasuke's frown fell away and was replaced by something that seemed like a smirk. "I was just worried about you, Sakura, but I forgot how you can take care of yourself now."

He reached out and cupped the side of her face for a moment before jumping back into the fray, but even the brief contact made Sakura's throat feel constricted. She barely heard Naruto yelling for them to desist, that all enemies had been sufficiently dealt with.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** Getting close, just one more chapter plus an epilogue after this.

The sun set shortly after their final battle, so Team 7 (or rather, Naruto insisting that he wanted a hot meal and bath) decided to get rooms at an inn at a nearby village.

"Three rooms, please," the Uchiha told the innkeeper, his tone commanding and unambiguous.

"Eh?" Naruto said. "One room is more than enough, Sasuke, teme."

"You and Sai share. One for me and one for Sakura. I'm not sharing with you and your snoring and your morning breath, dobe. I'll pay out of pocket."

"Fucking snob," the blonde muttered.

"What was that, loser?"

Sakura intervened before the two came to blows, which would likely destroy the inn, and then Tsunade would have to withhold future mission pay to take care of the damages. She smiled brightly at the innkeeper, thanked him for his time, and dragged both of her boys by the ear to the connected restaurant. Sai followed obediently with the room keys.

Dinner was a lighthearted affair, with Naruto attempting to brag about how he'd cleverly picked off the bandits with his new Suiton jutsu, which he claimed was an element he had now mastered.

Sai cleared his throat. "If memory serves correctly, it was my ink animals that did the brunt of the work by pinning down each and every enemy. You stood there half the time trying to remember your hand signs, at which you are obviously inept, especially one-handed. You performed the wrong ones until a bunch of water rushed out and dissolved my ink animals, so I had to rescue you when the bandits charged you again. What's the expression? Saving your skin?"

"Oh, Sai, it's called teamwork! I always knew you could do it," Naruto said, clapping a hand to his back. Sai removed the hand, calling him a pantywaist, so Naruto dumped his entire bowl of piping hot miso soup right on the artist's shiny black hair. Sai yelped, Sasuke snorted, and Sakura laughed so hard that her water came out of her nose.

* * *

Late that night, when everyone else was fast asleep, Sasuke began to have nightmares, as he did every night since Itachi had died. They had stopped for the brief period when he was in the hospital due to his mostly drug-induced sleep, but started up once again after moving into his apartment. Usually he didn't shout out, but every so often they got worse, and he never remembered them in the morning, only that they had been singularly traumatizing. He assumed they had to do with Itachi's Tsukiyomi played out over and over, but that was only a guess.

Naruto, of course, slept soundly through the whole ordeal, and if Sai heard him panting heavily, he did not enter the Uchiha's bedroom to see what was going on. In fact, the only person who heard and responded to Sasuke's shouts was Sakura. She slid the door open silently, careful not to disturb him, although he was already in the throes of his night terrors and was physically impossible to wake. Sakura sat by his futon at first, simply watching. He alternated between whimpering, yelling, and tossing back and forth, but never said anything distinguishable, and she felt such a rush of sympathy that she ran her fingers through his hair, stroked his cheek—it was wet with tears—before stabilizing his body by holding his shoulders down.

It was then that she really took note that Sasuke slept shirtless. It felt wrong to admire his sinewy form while he was obviously so distressed, so she tore her eyes away from his mostly exposed abdomen.

"Sasuke-kun," she whispered. "Sasuke-kun, please wake up. It's just a bad dream." He did not wake for another half-hour, and when his eyes came open and he saw her sitting by the futon, he began to cry in earnest.

He didn't cry on purpose. He hadn't cried in front of anyone since his last battle with Naruto, and he certainly never intended Sakura to feel this troubled. But, in his half-conscious state, still frozen by the night terror and flooded with relief at seeing Sakura alive, he couldn't help it.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun, don't cry," he heard her say desperately. "It's okay. You just had a bad dream." She rose to leave—only temporarily, to retrieve the blankets from her room so she could spend the night there, although Sasuke didn't know that. His hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, pulling it toward the futon as he scooted over to make room.

And Sakura, remembering how she'd saved his life and feeling a throbbing in her heart at the sound of his sobs, allowed herself to cave.

She slid under the covers, settling down. Sasuke turned over so he was facing away from her, and she rubbed circles on his back, fluttered over the curvature of his feverish skin, kneaded the strained muscles in his shoulders, until he began to relax and his breathing became even. Her hands dropped to her sides, and the Uchiha turned to her again, draping his good arm over her waist, circling her protectively. She didn't move away, and he swallowed hard.

" _Sakura … arigatou."_

She pressed small kisses all over his neck before moving to his lips, and he returned them in full, reaching to hold her face before tracing her jawline in light, delicate strokes that made her shudder. He ran his hand through her soft pink hair, not saying a word for fear of disturbing their moment. When their lips met again, he could feel warm saltwater—her tears this time, not his—on his cheek.

"Sakura, I've changed," he said when they broke apart, knowing why she was crying and why it had taken her so long to come to him.

"You say that, but what happens when you leave again and I have to stay behind and pick up all the broken pieces?"

"No," he said, his voice louder this time, so loud that Sakura jumped, and she had to shush him in case someone heard. "I'm not that foolish boy anymore, who was so focused on getting revenge that I failed to see the bigger picture. I wasted Itachi's dreams. This time I won't leave, not Konoha, not Team 7, not _you_."

"You swear?"

"I swear," he promised.

She buried her face into the crook of his neck as he held her tighter, and both were finally able to sleep peacefully. When morning came, their arms and legs were still entangled.


	9. Chapter 9

It was unexpected, but Sakura didn't feel giddy when she kissed his cheek the next morning, right in front of Naruto and Sai. Inner Sakura would have rejoiced heartily, cheering that her true love and devotion won out in the end, making her precious, handsome Sasuke-kun fall in love. No, all she felt was overwhelming relief, like their relationship had finally fallen into place when nothing else in the world seemed to fit.

"What just happened? Sai, did you see that?" Naruto asked, his mouth hanging open in disbelief.

"Close your mouth, loser, or you're going to catch flies," Sasuke snapped. _Honestly, Sakura couldn't have waited until we got back to the village to start acting like a lovesick annoyance again? She should've known the dumbass would react like this._

"I think what we just saw is called a "public display of affection," Dickless," Sai said. "You wouldn't know; one could probably hit you over the head and you would think it was just being friendly." That much was true, at least. Naruto didn't even seem to remember Hinata's confession to him, let alone respond to it. "I guess that this relationship was going to come together eventually, but I didn't imagine it would be so soon. Tell me, Uchiha, what did it take to get Sakura to like a bastard like you?"

"Fuck off," Sasuke said, shooting the other black-haired shinobi a rude hand gesture. He looked at Sakura, silently imploring her to put an end to this nonsense, but she just smiled at him.

"Sakura, are you happy?" Naruto asked.

"Of cour—"

"Because if he ever does anything to hurt you, I'll kick his ass, then chop off his dick and feed the rest of his body to Kurama!"

"Naruto!" Sakura cried, appalled.

" _I don't want to eat that, you dumb brat,"_ the fox grumbled from deep within him. _"Leave me out of your stupid arguments."_

Three kunai flashed past Sakura's ear, making a _whiz_ sound as they passed, and embedded themselves deep into the tree behind Naruto. _Thunk, thunk, thunk._

"Ha! You missed, you fucking loser! Who's dead last now?"

"It was a warning, you miserable shit-for-brains. If I meant to actually hit you, you'd be incapacitated by now."

Before Naruto could ask what "incapacitated" meant and start another full-out war between himself and the Uchiha, Sakura stepped between them. "Cut it out, both of you! Let's just get back to Konoha and report. We've been gone too long as it is. Any longer and the Hokage's going to think we're incompetent for missions and keep us on D-ranks permanently."

So they set off for the village gates, but not before Naruto elbowed Sasuke _hard_ in the side and Sakura placated him with another sweet smile and a sweet, _sweet_ kiss that lasted two, three, four heartbeats. She slid her hands into his hair, and he breathed her in: cherry blossom shampoo, sweat, and affection.

"Get a move on, Uchiha! Don't you know this kind of thing is rude? Some clan genius you are."

Sasuke broke away from the kunoichi and glared at Sai.

"Behave yourself, Sasuke-kun," Sakura whispered. "Besides, the sooner we get back to Konoha, the sooner we can get, you know. Some alone time. Or whatever."

Sasuke gulped.

Naruto jumped onto the first tree branch, shouting "Race you, Sasuke!" and the Uchiha took off after him.

"You couldn't keep up with my pace even in your dreams, dobe!"

He could feel the wind and his hair lashing his face as they whipped through the trees at breakneck speed, but the feel of Sakura's cool fingers on his skin and the sight of her emerald green eyes brimming with _happy_ tears were still on his mind. And as Sai, riding an ink hawk, passed both boys, Naruto called him a dirty cheater, and Sasuke thought, _I could get used to this._


	10. Epilogue

Four years later, Sakura knows she's still too young to be thinking things like _happily ever after_ and _our own house_ and especially _clan restoration_ , but that doesn't stop her from trying. And between hospital shifts and when Sasuke's just come back from a mission, she runs out to meet him at the Konohagakure gates. The first time it happened, she decided she wanted to fulfill a fantasy she'd had since her genin days and attempted to leap into his arms, briefly (but disastrously) forgetting that he only had one.

Nowadays she just hugs him, thinking that even though he's all sweaty, sometimes bloody, and usually pretty gross in general, she'll never, _ever_ get enough of this. He presses a kiss to her charmingly large forehead (another fantasy she'd always daydreamed about in the academy) and calls her annoying when she giggles like a kid. Sasuke's pretty sure nothing else is going to get in the way of their happiness, not even…

"Sakura."

"I can't believe you!"

"Sakura, I have to. I told you already, I have to see the shinobi world for myself. This is important."

"Sasuke-kun, you _promised_! You promised you'd never leave me! Don't you dare fucking do this to me again, because it'll be the last time—"

"So come with me."

Sakura blinks.

He's floated the idea of it out before, them traveling the world together so he can understand more about the world of shinobi and war and bonds and Itachi. But she's always been mild in her rejections, saying home is Konoha, and she has responsibilities here, and he has never pressed the matter. She didn't realize just how necessary it was for him until now.

"How long?" she asks, gulping.

"Not that long. Eight months, maybe. I bet you've had longer missions."

"I'll have to ask Kaka-sensei about it. And Tsunade-shishou for leave from the hospital. And this is going to kill Naruto."

The Copy Ninja has been Hokage for long enough now, but she still calls him sensei, because Kakashi-sama sounds pretty silly when considering a man who procrastinates on reading mission reports in favor of _Icha Icha Tactics_ , which he's read at least a thousand times by now.

"So do it," he says, cupping her chin in his hand.

Pretty soon, she's packing her bags (well, just the one bag) along with him. The night before they head out, the two of them get together with Naruto in Sasuke's apartment, and everyone proceeds to get thoroughly inebriated. When Naruto begins to cry, Sasuke rolls his eyes and heads to his bedroom.

"I'm going to sleep. See you later, dobe," he says.

"I'll miss you, Sasuke, teme!" the jinchuuriki blurts out. "Come back to me in one piece! And you too, Sakura-chan, promise me you'll be careful."

"Of course," she says, laughing, even though she's crying at the sight of his tears. She pulls him into a bear hug. "Take good care of Hinata. It's only for a little while. We'll be back before you even know we've been gone."

Hours later, at the crack of dawn, they leave, and a teary-eyed and quite hungover Naruto waves them goodbye.

* * *

" _Sasuke, teme." Naruto's face is suddenly sober. Sakura has just left to use the restroom, so he pulls the Uchiha closer, and for once, Sasuke lets him. "I want to share something important with you. Ero-sennin told it to me a long time ago: 'Wherever someone is thinking of you, that is the place you can call home.' Remember, okay?"_

* * *

So even though they are staying on the top floor of a strange, musty inn several days away from Konoha, a place he is finally _(painfully)_ starting to think of as home again, when he throws open the door, he calls out, "Sakura, tadaima!"


End file.
